Teens

On my way to Yahoo mail this morning – yes, I still use Yahoo mail, yes, I know this “dates me” (not in a good way) and yes, I know, I can have it forwarded to my Gmail– anyway, I stopped to read a post on Yahoo Parenting.

I quickly scanned the article, which was basically about a dad wanting to raise his kids better than how he was raised. He went on to explain that growing up he wasn’t given healthy food or encouraged to exercise. Wow! That caught my attention.

My two boys are physically strong, hardworking and healthy. I fed my kids a variety of foods growing up, probably a mixture of healthy and not so healthy (definitely by today’s standards). They like fruits and vegetables but they also like ice cream, breaded mozzarella sticks and loaded fries. They played some sports, swam in the summer and skied in the winter. But, as adults they struggle with their weight.

Looking back, I realize that I should have instilled in them a stronger desire to exercise daily. I shouldn’t have had chips and soda in the house all the time and I probably should have encouraged them to drink more water. I know more now than I did 30 years ago.

But it’s not too late. I can take my decades of experience and use it for good. As grandparents we get a fresh start, a clean slate. We can keep healthier food in the cupboard and have fresh fruits and vegetables within easy reach. We can exercise regularly, get ourselves in better shape and make wise food choices. We can become an example to follow for our kids and our grandkids. We can be a good influence, helping to create a healthier generation and have a long term, healthy impact on our grandkids. The choice is ours.

Have you decided to make positive lifestyle choices that will impact your grandkids? Let’s hear it.